Dump valve



Patented Nov. 21,1944 l 1 ltud'ol phtL. An schi ciks, Chicago,assignorto Protect'ose'al Company of America, Inc., Chi- My inventionbelongs to that general class of valves and relates particularly to afluid valve forcontrollingthe passage of fluid between com-l municatingspaces, and more particularlyhto a valve comprising ah'elica-l springwhich'may be .contracted to prevent the passage of fluid through thesame or extended to permitits flow. IThe invention has among its objectsthe production' of asimple, compact, eflicientpdurable and inexpensivedeviceofthe kind described for use wherever foundapplicable. "j

further object'is the production of a valve which may be considereda.type of valve with aplurality of seats, each coil of thesprin'gconstituting a valve part'substantially operative as avseparate valve;theo1 whole' comprising a long i extended o elongated 'valvemem'ber withan elongated seat, which'valve when open provides an'extended space-oropening between the coils for'the passage of fiuid -f .JAnotherfiobjectis the production of a valveoflthelkind described'provided with meansfor positively controlling-- its opening: and closing. The valve may beconstructed with a? spring or helical member under a' tension normallytendingto either expand the spring or to 'contract it,- this dependingon thestyle of spring usedthat is to say,- the tension may be such as toeither normally expand the spring to open the, valve which maybepositively closed and maintained closed, orin the other "design tocontract thespring-so that it: -is:normally closed; there being meansprovided 'on the device" for positively- .closing the. valve orpositively opening it, or to positivelyopen and close it, asthecasemaybe. In the preferred embodiment of the inventionthe valve, that isthe coils of the spring,

1 cagoi,lllgfa corporation of lllinois Application April 15,1943,'Serial No. 483,114

scam (o1. 251+20 Referring first'to Figs. 1 and 3,] representsa'container or tank, for example. a tank on an airplane, which it: maybe-desired in an emergency-to empty in a minimum oftime by dumping thecontents, the same being provided. with a discharge port. or opening 2.Arranged at the" opening and suitably supported, as shownsecured to thetank I, is a valve, consisting of coiled spring'3 comprising a length ofsolid'coiled wire of the desired size and of the desired tension,- thesamebeing carried by a member 4 secured to the tank'bybolts or studs, 5or in anequivalentv manner. As shown, a gasket 6 may be arranged betweenthe'member 4 and'the tank I andif desired; also a gasket 1 between theheads of thestuds 5 'and the member 4. -;The

opposite end of the spring 3 is closed by a cap ill) are provided withsuitablevgaskets," afiording a leak-proofconstruction, thegasketb'eing'dispo'sed v between contiguous coils and 'concentrictherewith. Theconstruction of the valve is such that the coils may bereadily separated'even though corroded, eitherby the tension of thespring,

by interior pressure or by the direct application 0fforce to the tensioncontrolling means.

Many other objects and advantages of the' 1 construction herein shownand described l'will beobvio us to those skillednin theart from thedisclosure hereingiven'.

.To this end my invention consiststin the jnovel construction,arrangement and combination: of

parts herein shown anddescribed; and moreparv ticularly pointed outintheclaims.

'8 secured thereto sealing the end of the spring.

In the preferred construction between the contiguouscoils 3 is arrangeda gasket 9 (see Fig. 3)

whichforms an effective seal between the coils 3 when the spring isclosed or contracted, sealing the'interior chamber min the spring andpreventing leakagebetween the'coils. Any other suitable type of'gasketmay be employed, that shown being concentric with, the coils and seatedinacontinuous groove in one face thereof adjacenta contiguous coil forwhich it forms a seat. In v this particular construction it is generallypreferredto have the spring under tension, tending to normallymaintainthe coils in close contact seated on'the gaskets. To open the valve ,anysuitable means may be provided to positively separate the coils, asimple construction consisting of lever ll pivoted at l2 toa bracket 13and vat 14 to the: cap,,8.' To prevent the valve opening under theweight of the contents of the tank which might be sufficient to overcomethe tension of the spring, suitable means is prov dedcfor locking thelever ll, thatshown consisting of a detent I S -eng'aging in notches {6in the bracket l-L- i The detent I5 is controlled by a hand operated'grip l8 secured by a linkto the extended end l5 of the detent IS, aspring I9 tending to normally maintain the detent in looking position.As shown, the grip I 8 is arranged adjacent the handle 2| of the lever II so that in the event it is desired to dump the contents of the tankquickly in an emergency, the lever Il may be unlocked and pulled down toforcibly extend the spring. The locking means shown fOr illustrativepurposes is of a conventional design and is part of the combination todisclose some form of lock which in itself forms no part of the presentinvention. modified as required or desired. 1

In the valve construction shown in Fig. 2, represents a spring orhelical member between the coils of which may be arranged the gasket 26,providing seats for the coils. Thespring or valve is arranged in thehousing 21 provided with ports 28 and 29 for the admission and dischargeor passage of fluid through the housing, the same communicating with theinterior or chamber 30 of the spring when the valve is opened. In thisparticular construction the end coil 3| of the spring is secured to thehousing, that is, as shown anchored therein adjacent the port 28, and atthe upper end is arranged a cap or closure 32 which is secured to a rodor valve stem 33 extending through the bonnet 34. The bonnet may besecured in place by bolts 35 or in an equivalent manner, with the gasket36 between the housing 2'! and the bonnet 34. In-this embodiment of theinvention the rod or stem 33 is secured at 38 to the cap 32 so that thecap may be moved by turning the stem, which cap is shown provided with aflange 39 forming a recess or seat in which the end of the spring isseated, as well as a guide for the cap and the spring when the cap ismoved from or toward the port 28. A gasket 38 may be positioned in thecap as shown to prevent leakage at the end of the spring which is seatedin the cap. The stem 33 may be operated by a hand wheel 40 or theequivalent, leakage along the stem being prevented by the conventionalpacking 4| and the gland nut 42 or their equivalents. As illustrated,the spring in this embodiment is shown compressed or contracted so thatthe coils and gasket are firmly seated and leakage between or around thecoils prevented. The valve is therefore closed. If it is desired to openthe valve the stem 33 is turned or screwed outwardly to the desiredextent, the tension of the contracted spring expanding the same as thecap 32 is moved toward the bonnet 34, permitting the coils to separateIn either construction it will be noted that there is provided a valvehaving an elongated or extended engagement with the gasket upon which itis seated and the full valve opening may be quickly attained or thevalve as quickly closed. Owing to the helical valve construction, in theevent of any corrosion, it will be obvious that should the valve stickat any point or points throughout its length it can tear apart at the Itmay be apart between the coils be readily stripped from corrodedengagement throughout the length of the associated coils.

Obviously any'suitable means may beemployed to limit the relativecoil'movements when the spring is extended so that in extending thespring it is not distorted but opens uniformly or substantially so. Thisfeature is not illustrated since it is disclosed in a copendingapplication.

Having thus described my invention, it is obvious that variousimmaterial and obvious modifications of details may be made in the sameby one skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of myinvention; hence I do not wish to be understood 'as limiting myself tothe exact form, construction, arrangement and combination of partsherein shown and described, or uses mentioned.

What, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A valve for controlling the passage of fluid between communicatingspaces consisting of a coiled spring of tubular construction andcomprising a length of solid coiled wire, and a gasket member seated ina continuous groove in the length of coiled wire and adapted to seatupon adjacent coils thereof, said coiled spring and gasket providing achamber, means in one space for securing the coiled spring to acooperating part with the chamber in communication with the other spaceand supplemental means for positively controlling the expansion andcontraction of the spring to permit or prevent the passage of fluidbetween the coils from one space to the other.-

2. A valve of the kind described for controlling the passage of fluidbetween communicating spaces consisting of a coiled spring of tubularconstruction comprising a length of solid coiled wire and a gasketmember seated in a continuous groove in the coiled wire and adapted toseat upon adjacent coils thereof, said coiled spring and gasket beingarranged in one space and provideasiest tearing point and having startedto tear ing a chamber, means for securing the coiled spring to acooperating supporting part with the chamber in communication withanother space and supplemental means in the first space for positivelycontrolling the expansion and contraction of the spring to permit orprevent the passage of fluid between the spaces.

3. In a valve of the kind described and in combination, a coiled springof tubular construction comprising a length of solid coiled wireprovided with a chamber within the coils, means for securing the coiledspring to a cooperating part, a gasket member seated in a continuousgroove in the coiled spring and seating upon adjacent coils thereof, andsupplemental means for. extending or contracting the spring as desired.

4. In a dump valve of the kind described and in combination, acontainer, a coiled spring of tubular construction and comprising alength of solid coiled wire, said coiled spring being provided with achamber within the coils, means for securing the same to the containerwith the said chamber communicating with the interior of the container,a continuous gasket member seated in a continuous groove in one face ofthe coils and adapted to seat upon adjacent coils, and supplementalmeans for extending or contracting the spring as desired.

5. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a coiled springconstituting a valve of tubular construction and providing a chamberwithin the same, means for maintaining the scribed and in combination, ahousing provided 1 ofsolid coiled wire and constituting a valveoftubular construction and providing a chamber within the same, means formaintaining the spring in cooperative relation to an enclosed space withthe chamber at the interiorof the spring communicating with the space, acoiled gasket seated in a continuous groove in one face of the coils andarranged between and concentric with with an inlet and an outlet and avalve for controlling the passage of fluid through the housing, saidvalve consisting of a spring having a plurality of coils providingopenings between the coils when the spring is extended, and means forcontrolling the spring tension to control the passage of fluid betweenthe said coils, and means for preventing leakage of fluid between thecoils when the spring iscontracted comprising a helical gasket memberseated in a continuous groove in one the coils of the spring, andmeansatthe exterior of said enclosed space for controlling the spring tensionto permit or prevent the opening of the spaces between the spring coils,and means for. locking said controlling means and preventingactuation'thereof.

7. In a fluid control device of the=kind deface of the coils and adaptedto seat upon adjacent coils. I

8. In a device of the kind described and in combination, a housingprovided with a chamber having an inlet and an outlet port, a springconstituting avalve arranged within said chamber, said spring consistingof a plurality of helically arranged coils with a gasket seated in acontinuous groove in one face of the coils and adapted to seat uponadjacent coils, means extending to the exterior of the housing forcontrolling the extension or contraction of the spring and to vary thedistances between the coils to thereby control the passage of fluid inthe housing between said ports.

RUDOLPH J. ANSCHICKS.

